There has been some discussion on other forums about the use of a gird strap (cargo strap) to secure the Teal Camper panels together.

The function of the gird strap is to draw all the panels together and compress the seals between the panels to make the camper weather tight. Drawing the panels together also adds a considerable amount of rigidity.

The panels are keyed together at the top and center, as well as secured in a fixed channel at the bottom. They will not fall apart if the gird strap is loosened.

The gird strap makes a quick and tight assembly possible without tools. It dramatically reduces the number of parts required to secure the panels and therefore reduces cost as well.

Since the gird strap is an inexpensive item, a spare could be carried for those who have any concern about damage to the strap, intentional or otherwise.

Cargo straps have reliably secured cargo on trucks and trailers for millions of miles. Their extensive use has made it possible to incorporate them into the our unique camper design resulting in a low cost, highly reliable fastening system.

Thank you for the information. I had wondered about that.

Larry:

Here's an idea for a tool-less and inexpensive solution to pull the panel's weatherstripping together: A window latch. Perhaps it might need to be modified for this particular use, but even out-of-the-box, it might add a touch of sophistication beyond what the gird strap does.

Not having touched a panel yet, it would remain to be seen whether the screws that hold such a latch would have enough holding power to do the function justice, but it might just work.

I suspect it would be pretty easy to test on an existing camper if someone were willing to try.

I've seen such latches available for under $5 each.

Barry